Make the Change: Why Community Starts with the Man in the Mirror (Part II)

The Fine Line Between Legal and Ethical

As we wrapped up our discussion on community and personal growth, Carcass John dropped a thought-provoking question that had been “sticking in his craw” all week:

“Is it still okay and honest to be unethical even if it’s technically legal?”

As a lawyer with top legal knowledge and ethics ratings, I had a clear response: if you are willing to do something that’s ethically questionable, it’s basically gonna catch up with you.

• What goes around comes around. You usually get to see that full circle of cause and effect.
• Karma. Engaging in ethically dubious behavior sets bad karma in motion. As we enter the “last quarter” of our lives, the priority shifts to building good karma and a positive legacy.

Our ultimate takeaway here is that the law is the floor of acceptable behavior, not the ceiling. Our personal ethics—our sense of what is right, honest, and trustworthy—is what truly defines our character and strengthens our community.

Community Bonds That Endure

Speaking of things that “catch up with you,” Carcass brought up the college football game this weekend: Texas Tech hosting BYU. We’re both passionate fans, but the discussion quickly led to a great point about perspective:

It’s easy to get all wrapped up in the emotional ups and downs of a game, a political debate, or a disagreement with a friend. But true community means those bonds are bigger than the scoreboard.

Our community will still be tight.

The people in your life—your friends, your family, your fellow travelers—matter infinitely more than who wins on Saturday. This is a vital choice we make every day: choosing relationships over rivalry.

Your New Homework: Out of the Comfort Zone

To ensure we keep pushing our personal boundaries for the sake of community growth, we issued a new challenge for next week’s episode, Community Part Three:

The Homework: Find an example of community that takes you out of your comfort zone.

My earlier conversation with the Uber driver was an accidental example of this, as I had to fight my initial judgment. For Carcass, who feels not a “whole lot puts [him] out of [his] comfort zone,” this will be a real challenge.

Growth rarely happens in familiar territory. When we deliberately step outside of what’s easy or familiar—when we engage with someone we disagree with, or choose kindness over comfort—that’s when true change happens for us and for those around us.

A Final Thought: The Strength of the Ocean

As we closed the show, we left listeners with a powerful idea about the strength of unity. We talked about sweeping up the “garbage” with a good broom and pan, moving past distractions, and focusing on the greater mission.

The closing quote summed it up perfectly:

“Individually, we are a drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

Thank you for tuning into the Choices Podcast. We love you and can’t wait to hear your stories of stepping out of your comfort zone next week!